


Interludes 1

by Natasha210



Series: The Monster Within [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt, F/M, Friendship, Getting to Know Each Other, One Shot, Post-Iron Man 3, Pre-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pre-HYDRA Reveal, Pre-Relationship, Protective Clint Barton, Team, Trust, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-27 04:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17759903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natasha210/pseuds/Natasha210
Summary: Jennifer's life must go on after the events of New York.  However, some of the Avengers are preventing that.





	1. Tony

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collection of moments before Cap 2 but after Avengers.

Jennifer was running around the track at S.H.I.E.L.D. early in the morning.  The track was only lit by a few of the overhead lights since it was so early.  She found that running would help take her mind off the nightmares.  They had grown worse since she had started using her powers more regularly.  There were a few other agents on the track, but most of them left her to her thoughts.  Fury wanted her to finish some testing today.  After New York S.H.I.E.L.D. had grown suspicious that she hadn’t been completely honest about her abilities.  Her phone started to ring, and Jennifer made her way over to the bench glad for the distraction.

“Agent Shylow,” she said while trying to catch her breath.  She had dropped the doctor since S.H.I.E.L.D. informed her that she would not be practicing medicine anymore.  Not that she had been doing much before New York.  It had still been a disappointment.  Why let her go to school for so long just to take it away from her.

“Are you thinking about me.”  Jennifer jerked the phone away from her ear staring at it before she realized whose voice was on the other side.

“Tony…What do you want.”  Jennifer started grabbing her things.

“I…I need your medical opinion on something.”  Jennifer sighed zipping up her bag.

“If this is some crude joke, I’m too busy to deal with it.”  She walked over to the staircase not wanting to take the elevator.  Jennifer needed to catch a shower before her testing started.

“I’m having problems…medical problems.”  Jennifer stopped there was something in his voice that was different.  Taking a deep breath, she ran over to the elevator.  The stairs would take too long it sounded like he needed to talk.

“Tony what’s going on.”  Jennifer reached into her duffel bag and pulled out a pen and notepad.

“I’m having chest pains, and I can’t sleep.  Its sudden and I have to fight for breath.”  Jennifer stopped what she was writing.

“What does Jarvis say.”  Jarvis was a powerful AI that helped Tony run all his tech.  She knew that Tony had him monitor everything including himself.  That information would give her the best bet on what was going on.

“He says there’s nothing wrong, but they’ve been happening since New York.”

“How long has it been since you’ve slept, really slept” Jennifer bit her lower lip knowing that the answer probably wouldn’t be ideal.

“Three days.”  Jennifer sighed walking into her room and grabbed her “go bag” and keys.

“How have you been eating and drinking.”  Jennifer sent a text to one of her pilot friends and started heading to the garaged.   She didn’t want to get permission for Fury to take one of the jets.  This wasn’t any of his business what she was doing.  Her testing would have to wait.

“The drinking helps, and food takes too much time,” Tony said with a small laugh at the end.  Jennifer lowered her voice as she slipped into a car. 

“What prompted this Tony.  Anything besides New York.”  She put the phone on speaker as she pulled out of the garage.

“If you have been watching the news you know.  I rescued the president and destroyed all my suits.”  Jennifer had seen bits and pieces of the story, but with all the testing the past few weeks she didn’t get the whole thing.  “I read your file both versions by the way and thought that you would be the best person to call.”  Jennifer smiled, he would be the only person that could gain access to her whole file.  That’s why she didn’t tell S.H.I.E.L.D. everything.

“You know I’m not a practicing doctor right.” She said letting the slight disappointment into her voice.  She glanced down at her class ring.  It had M.D. engraved in it.  Jennifer didn’t know why she kept it.

“I know that I also know that S.H.I.E.L.D. is the reason you aren’t.  They are the reason people like Dr. Strange are out there.”  Tony didn’t hide his disapproval.  Jennifer didn’t know why he didn’t like Dr. Strange he was a promising doctor out of New York.  Jennifer would give anything to be like him.  She had even read most of his papers and watched some of his surgeries. 

“Alright Tony, I’m on my way I should be there in a few hours.  Send me all the information you can get me.  I’ll read it over the flight.”  Jennifer pulled into the airport and boarded the plane heading for Tony.

 

* * *

 

 

Jennifer got off the plane and was greeted by Tony.  He looked like a wreck.  She walked over shaking his hand.

“I’m sorry we have to see each other under these circumstances.  Do you want me to wait to talk about why I’m here or just jump right into it?” She said throwing her duffel bag over her shoulder.  Tony walked her over to a car that probably cost as much as a house and not even a small one.  Jennifer couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to live like he did.

“Jump in by all means.” He said getting behind the wheel.

“You have severe PTSD that I assume started when you were held hostage all those years ago, which is not news if your file is correct.  Other doctors have pointed this out.  The events in New York aggravated it and you were forced into a fight or flight mode.  If your account of what you saw is correct, then it's understandable.  After looking over the information you sent me, I think that the shrapnel is having some effect on you aside from the obvious one.  Your body knows that it’s in danger.  Even with your ARC reactor, your body feels like it’s dying.” Jennifer explained reading over her notes not wanting to miss anything.  Tony glance over at her.

“What do you suggest I do.”  Jennifer sighed this was the hard part.  She flipped to the next page.

“I called the local hospital and got one of the top surgeons to set up a room.  I think that you should get it removed.  However, it could be dangerous like with any surgery there can be complications. If you don’t want to go through with it, we can deal with it through other methods.”  Tony looked over at her.

“Meaning your abilities.  Thanks, but I don’t like the idea of you crawling around in my mind so let’s go the surgery route.”  Jennifer smile, to be honest, she didn’t want to use her powers either.  It wouldn’t be fixing the problem only mask it.

“Okay, surgery it is.  I will go with you to the hospital and make sure everything goes alright.  Then slip out of town with Fury none the wiser.” She said smiling.

“Thank you, Jennifer, I really appreciate this,” Tony said.

“Anytime Tony.”


	2. Steve

Steve walked down the hallway heading for the control room.  He had brought in an individual for S.H.I.E.L.D. earlier in the night for interrogation.  An agent was missing, and he needed to find out where they were being held.  He usually didn’t stay for this part.  He wasn’t a spy he was a soldier.  However, when it went across the wire that the prisoner refused to talk, and Jennifer was being brought in to make him speak.  Steve decided that he would make an exception and stay to watch her work.  He hadn’t really seen her since New York.  She didn't go on any missions apart from occasionally going as a pilot.  None of them were ones he was sent on.  Steve reached the door to the control room entering it.  This would allow him to watch the interrogation without being in Jennifer’s way.  The control room had more people than usual.  If he wasn't mistaken, there were even some people with bags of popcorn.

“Hey, how long do you think this one will last.  My money is on 30 seconds, but he seems tough he could make it a whole minute a new record.”  An agent said to Steve as he walked up to the window.  It looked in on the interrogation room where the prisoner was sitting in a chair alone.

“Not a chance this is her night off I wouldn’t be surprised if she blinked him out.  Then on a day when she is on call, she can come in and fix him.”  Another agent called across the room.  Steve felt sick by the conversation that filled the room.  This was an interrogation, not a sporting match.  The door into the interrogation room opened, and Jennifer walked in shutting the door behind her.  The control room grew quiet.  She took her seat with her back to the control room.

“Ah man someone forgot to set the prisoner on the right side now we won’t know what color of eyes she uses.”  Someone yelled out.  A chorus of moans greeted the statement.

“Well, all bets on the eye color are off.”  One of the lead agents called out.  Steve clenched his fists as he watched Jennifer.

“You know where our missing agent is there is no point in denying it.  Now you can just tell me, or we can do this the hard way.”  Jennifer said her voice was coming out of the speakers.  The prisoner gave a sickening smile.

“Why sweetheart there is nothing you can do that will get me to talk.”  Jennifer laughed it was an evil laugh that Steve had never heard.  She gently reached her hand out grabbing the prisoner’s hand.  He smiled over at her licking his lips.  Jennifer’s grip suddenly grew titer, and the prisoner let out a blood-curdling scream.  He tried to pull back, but she held on towering over him.

“She used Red.”  Someone yelled out.

“No that is clearly a look of fear.”  Someone called back.  Steve slammed his hand on the window cracking it.  The noise caused Jennifer to jump letting go of the prisoner.  The prisoner screamed out the location.  She glanced at the window before heading out the door.  Steve turned back to the room of agents.  No one dared to move under his disapproving gaze.

“This is not a game there is an agent out there that we’re trying to find.  How would you feel if you were out there and new your fellow agents were watching the interrogation like a sporting match?  How many interrogations get turned over to Agent Shylow so you all can have your fun.”  Steve yelled then headed out into the hall.  He ran into Jennifer when he came around the corner.  She was leaning against the wall pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You got the information,” Steve said, upon hearing his voice Jennifer straightened up walking over to him.  She seemed slightly stiff in her movements.

“It wasn’t hard.  I assume you were the one that hit the window.”  She said crossing her arms.  Steve looked at her scanning her blue eyes.

“Sorry, but the agents watching you were far too excited about the event.”  Jennifer nodded at Steve’s explanation.

“Sorry, I didn’t think you would ever see it,” Jennifer said shaking her head.

“So, you knew about this,” Steve asked his jaw clenched.

“It’s hard not to know about it.  I don’t like it, but there is nothing I can do.”  She said Steve’s eyes flashed.

“Sure, you could stop it they’re here to see your powers.  You could make it less of an event.”  Jennifer held up her hands stopping him.

“Oh, really I’m not like you I don’t have an exhibit at the museum being built in my honor.  No, I just have upper-level agents watching me use my powers.  The powers that are mainly redacted from my file.  They watch and get excited because they can.  It’s one of the highlights for most agents when they get to that level.”  She yelled at him drawing the eyes of the people passing by them.

“Admit it, Jennifer, you enjoy it.  You like having an audience.”  Steve snapped back at her.

“No Steve I don’t.  I have been a spectacle my whole life.”  She said only this time her voice had become very horse.  “I tried to get them closed off, but it was denied.  Now if you will excuse me tonight is my night off and if I’m not mistaken you just got the location of the agent you were looking to rescue.”  Jennifer didn’t wait for him to reply she just turned around and headed down the hallway.

 

* * *

 

 

Jennifer sat across from Clint.  It had been a few weeks since she had last talked to Steve.  He hadn’t attended any more of her interrogation.

“Does Fury have a mission for me.”  Jennifer let a small level of hope fill her.  Most of the Avengers had over the past few months been sent out to handle situations.  She was the only one that had yet to leave S.H.I.E.L.D. since her tip to see Tony.  Clint had just come from a meeting with Fury. 

“No Fury just thought that I should give you this.”  Clint handed her a file.

“What is this.”  She asked seeing her name on the front of it.  Why give it to her especially since she knew what was in it, not much.

“He saw someone was looking into it and he thought you should know.”  Jennifer nodded opening it up.  There was a log on the front showing who had tried to access it.  There was one name that appeared more than once.

“Steve wanted to look at my file.”  She looked up at him.

“He’s been digging around trying to get some information on you.”  Jennifer looked down at the dates.  They were all after he had seen her interrogation.  Next to his name was a mark that she hadn’t seen before.

“What is this?”  She pointed at it so Clint could see it.  He gave a sad smile.

“That shows that he has black listed you from any of his missions.”  The air was sucked out of her.  She looked over at Clint.

“Why…Why doesn’t he want me? I don’t…”  Her eyes looked to the left, and her voice trailed off.  Clint looked at the corner where she was looking.  It was empty always empty.

“Jennifer, he doesn’t know you.  With time that will change.”  His words pulled her eyes back to his.

“Sure, the perfect soldier is just going to change his mind.  He is so set in stone it will take more than just being thawed to bring him back.”  Jennifer didn’t wait for Clint to say anything she got up and left the room.  She needed to be alone the voice was filling her mind.  Her phone went off, and she ignored it.  Heading down the hall, she ran into Steve the last person she wanted to see.

“Jennifer.”  He said his voice cold.  She crossed her arms glaring at him.

“Captain it’s been a bit.”  She matched his tone.

“Fury told me that you were informed about being black listed.”  Jennifer ground her teeth at his words.

“Clint told me.”  Steve gave a small nod shifting slightly.

“Good.”  He turned to walk away.  There was a small whisper in her ear.  Anger filled her and Jennifer couldn’t hold it back.

“That’s it.”  She shouted at him.  He stopped to look at her.

“What more is there?”  He pulled his brows together.

“I just thought that we were a team.”  Steve seemed surprised by that.

“I can only have people I trust on my team.”  His words were like a cold shower.

“Why don’t you trust me?”  She took a step closer.

“Because you have secrets.”  Jennifer closed her eyes.

“Everyone had secrets even you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week will start the Winter Soldier. Thanks for reading hope you are enjoying it.


End file.
